1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to non-invasive external braces for the human limbs (Orthotics) and in particular, to a device for the treatment of torsional deformities of the lower limbs.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed under Secs. 1.97-1.99
Torsional deformities of long bones have been described in medical literature for many years. Various devices have been used in the past which are claimed to reduce or reverse these deformities.
In the past few years, a controversy has arisen over whether any of the current devices actually affect a reduction or correction. Some have advanced the proposition that there is a natural tendency toward the gradual correction of these deformities as the child grows, even without the assistance of currently available devices. That is, it is thought that most torsional deformities will correct over time without treatment, such that the application of the currently available devices have merely appeared successful due to the natural correction. The deformities which were treated, but which did not respond to treatment, were considered to be "extreme" such as to require invasive intervention (surgery).
There are a number of currently available devices, which through various types of construction all perform the same function. Even with improvements, the current devices all lack an ingredient or feature which is essential to be truly effective in correcting torsional deformities. That is, the continuing application of a dynamic torque or force to the long bones.
The so-called Dennis-Browne type Bar, provided by numerous manufacturers, has been used for decades in the correction of torsional deformities of the lower limbs. This device includes a bar at the ends of which are fastened two plates, each of which plates is secured to a shoe. The plates are secured to the bar so as to hold the shoes in a predetermined angular position with respect to each other, so as to rotate and maintain the long bones in a position opposite the direction of the torsional deformity. Being a static device, it does not dynamically affect correction, but simply resists further deformation. A recent paper by Morey S. Moreland, M.D., entitled: Dennis Browne Splint-Torsion or No Torsion, has reported that when a user is sleeping (the period during which the bar is customarily used), there is virtually no corrective force applied to the extremities of the long bones. See Paper No. 31, page 39.
An improvement on the Dennis-Brown Bar provides a mechanism linking the shoes which permits a user to independently kick and move each foot, while at the same time keeping the extremities in the desired rotation with respect to each other. Nevertheless, it is still a static device, such that once the rotation is set there is no further force applied to the long bones. Thus, this device simply resists further deformity as does the Dennis-Brown Bar.
Another system keeps the wearer's knee flexed at a right angle, so as to isolate the area of treatment to the tibia. Again, a shoe is mounted on a plate whereby the wearer's extremity may be rotated in a direction opposite the deformity. This device has the ability to isolate the legs from each other, but again this device simply resists further deformity, it does not apply a dynamic correcting force.
Still another system uses cables which are attached to a pelvic band and to the wearer's shoes, such that the cables maintain the shoes in a predetermined position like the above-mentioned devices. Again, since the system is set to keep the extremity rotated opposite the deformity, once it is set it applies no more force to the extremity, it simply resists further deformation.
Whatever the merits, features and advantages of the above-cited devices, none of them achieve or fulfill the purposes of the applicants dynamic variable tension long bone torsion reducer.